Hey Fletch … I have been feeling that I should move on from this senior pastor position. I’m not a pushy person. But to stay, I will have to be quite forceful with several leaders. They are trying to make some damaging decisions for the church. Whether I become pushy or give in to their poor decisions, it will just chew me up on the inside. Do you have any help for me?
DRF—I know that this situation has gone on for some time. This is not a knee-jerk response to one or two bad meetings. In the church there have been significant power plays going on at various levels for quite a while. You have been trying to respond graciously and wisely. The most recent struggles for power have been with several board members about who is going to decide the future of the church.
You are a consensus leader. You desire to get everyone on the same page, even though that takes longer to make and implement key decisions. Some church members and leaders have seen this as weakness. Some wanted you to lay down the law and dictate how things are going to happen. They want you as senior pastor to slay the dragons of board member power by assuming total control of the church.
Assuming total control of the church is not your leadership style. I think that you hit the nail on the head with your comments. You don’t want to acquiesce to the power mongers or become one yourself. Either of those solutions will, in your words, “chew me up on the inside.”
For months you have been between a rock and a hard place. If you take on the power people, you will become one yourself. That will violate the way that you want to lead the church. Either you become someone you despise or decide to leave.
Since you have been working on this power issue for many months, you are at a crossroads. I think that you know which road you need to take … to act with integrity and your giftedness as a leader, to not become someone who you will detest. I’m sensing that you have made your decision and are floating it to a few confidants for their consensus.
